The journal.

Michael Derr 10/7/20 Michael Derr 10/7/20

7 October 2020

While the Main Street construction is wrapping up, for some reason, I was drawn up Mill Street this morning. I was greeted by a lovely sunrise. A stunning start to a day.

Listening to: Blink by Ben Onono

Michael Derr 9/29/20 Michael Derr 9/29/20

29 September 2020

Today was all about state parks and lighthouses on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Greg snagged a video of me at the Grand Haven lighthouse. Here’s how he describes the video, “Michael wanted his picture taken next to the lighthouse whilst wearing the lighthouse T-shirt. I happened to be taking video of the perilous, choppy Lake Michigan conditions when he turned around and thought I was taking said picture. My favorite part is the momentary uncertainty of which hand should be pointing to which object. Coordination has never been his strong suit.”

Michael Derr 9/27/20 Michael Derr 9/27/20

27 September 2020

Today we drove a bit south to Holland, Michigan. What a charming little town. First, we visited Windmill Island Gardens. It is home to that gorgeous windmill, the only authentic Dutch windmill operating in the United States, grinding locally-grown wheat into flour.

Next we headed to the downtown area and had lunch at New Holland Brewing. Their friend chicken sandwich with the dragon fire dry rub was exceptional.

Later in the day we headed to another quaint coastal town, Saugutuk. The charm offensive was strong, and the ice cream was amazing.

Michael Derr 9/26/20 Michael Derr 9/26/20

26 September 2020

We’ve arrived to our little cottage on Spring Lake in western Michigan. We’ll be here for the next 5 days. This is our view of the lake, just a few steps from the cottage. Sitting here and listening to the water move back and forth to shore is the very height of relaxation.

Michael Derr 9/24/20 Michael Derr 9/24/20

24 September 2020

Morning walks to work are a bit darker these days. Gives me a chance to appreciate the buildings and lighting.

Michael Derr 9/23/20 Michael Derr 9/23/20

23 September 2020

Just a couple more days till we head to Lake Michigan for vacation. Purchasing delicious local coffee to enjoy while away is essential. First item on the packing checklist–complete.

Also, they’ve begun one of the large murals on the exterior wall of the Civic Theater. I’m really looking forward to seeing the progress each morning on my walks to work.

Michael Derr 9/14/20 Michael Derr 9/14/20

14 September 2020

Fall is my most favorite season of all. While it’s still about a week away, I’ve begun enjoying one of the best perks of fall. That’s when a bunch of new cookbooks are released. This year we get a new volume from Ina Garten. That was was pre-ordered months ago. Currently, I have about 25 cookbooks on my hold list at the library. I like to check them out, before deciding to buy. Ina being the exception. She’s always the exception to the rule. How bad could that be?

The 100 Cookies book is fantastic, and has already been ordered…waistline be damned!

Listening to Dionne by The Japanese House.

Michael Derr 9/10/20 Michael Derr 9/10/20

10 September 2020

Foggy mornings. It completely obscured the view of our building.

Listening to Say Something (Acoustic) by Kylie Minogue.

Reading The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg.

Michael Derr 9/7/20 Michael Derr 9/7/20

7 September 2020

This was our view of the horizon, over west Akron, on the morning of Labor Day. What we didn’t realize at this moment, was that we’d have steady rain and thunderstorms for about the next 8 hours. It was glorious. We didn’t need to be anywhere else, so we opened the windows and listened to the storm while reading, napping, watching movies and preparing meals. It was the perfect way to wrap up a long weekend.

Listening to Rise by Dominique Fils-Aime.

Michael Derr 9/6/20 Michael Derr 9/6/20

6 September 2020

I’ve been struggling to find a good and visually appealing way to organize and display my spices in our kitchen. Since we are renting our downtown abode, we can’t really attach anything to walls with screws and other hardware. I purchased these picture ledges from IKEA and figured that with enough (I mean lots) of 3M Command Strips, I could keep these ledges stocked with herbs and spices. Well, my friends, it worked for about a day until they all came tumbling down. Anyone have another suggestion?

Listening to A Good Song Never Dies by Saint Motel.

Michael Derr 9/5/20 Michael Derr 9/5/20

5 September 2020

SPIN rental scooters have invaded the University of Akron campus and Downtown Akron. Early Saturday morning, I took one for a spin around a deserted Cascade Plaza. Technically, you’re not supposed to ride them on sidewalks. I wanted to make sure I was a stable driver there, before hitting the bike lanes and downtown streets. It was a lot of fun.

Listening to Celeste by Ezra Vine.

Michael Derr 8/29/20 Michael Derr 8/29/20

29 August 2020

Is there anything better than a relaxing Saturday with no real obligations and a free lunch and plant? I’ve been earning “blimps” with the new Akronite app that offers great rewards when you shop locally. One of the current promotions is earning 30% back when you dine at selected restaurants, bars and coffee houses. I’ve earned enough “blimps” (each is worth $1) that I treated Greg and myself to lunch at Nomz at the Northside Marketplace. When we finished, I browsed the plants at Lepley & Co., and left with that stunning succulent pictured above.